Eurovision hopeful Brooke Scullion has criticised the lack of radio play at home for her song, That’s Rich – saying it would’ve helped her chances to qualify for the final of the song contest this Thursday.
The Derry native is hoping to qualify for the final of the song contest on Thursday night with her catchy tune in Turin, Italy, which she co-wrote with Izzy Warner and Karl Zine.
But the 23-year-old hit out at the lack of airtime for her song – saying it would’ve helped her chances with her campaign to get Ireland into the Eurovision Song Contest final.
Speaking from Turin, she told us: “I would love more radio play. I think that would definitely help my chances. Radio is a really hard one to crack and I feel like Eurovision is going to make people more aware of who I am.
“It will definitely get radio play this week. But of course, it would have been better to get it previously. But it’s in the past now, all we can focus on is the campaign from here on in. I think it will be an excellent boost to get it played on the radio.
“Up North has been very good and I think it is starting to get a lot of radio play on Rte.”
She said she thinks it’s “very tough” to get radio play as an artist who’s not yet established.
“I just think it is really tough to get radio play as an artist who is not really established yet, but I would appreciate the help.”
But she said she was chuffed when pop singer Mika played her song while driving in his car.
“Did you see Mika was playing it in his car and he didn’t play anyone else’s song? Mika, who I grew up listening to. It’s unreal.”
On Thursday, viewers hope we make it into the final after a disastrous few years not making it through.
Brooke, who was a previous contestant on The Voice UK where she was mentored by Meghan Trainor, is promising an entertaining performance this Thursday, complete with a troupe of dancers and a pyrotechnic display.
“I think we just lived and learned. What I’m proud of is I can perform this anywhere; this could be beyond Eurovision. This could be anywhere. This is a really good level that I’m really proud of.
“A lot of people have put a lot of work into this. Emer Walsh is a world-renowned choreographer and she’s been helping me learn how to dance and she’s done a great job.
“The support has been phenomenal, and people are like, ‘Wow, Ireland did not come to play this year’. It’s a really, really tight performance and I'm so pleased with it.”
Comparing the singing competition to The Voice, she said: “I was never really that nervous on The Voice because I had no expectations of myself whatsoever.
“I was only starting out in the industry; I didn’t know if I was good enough to be in that position.
“So this time it’s a lot more pressure and I’m a lot more excited about it, only because I have expectations for myself and I know what I’m capable of.
“This is a test for me and my ability, so hopefully all going well I can qualify, and I think I will levitate after that, I will just take flight.”
Brooke is hoping that support from voters in the North will give her an added boost to send her through to the grand final.
“People are excited this year and the North, essentially, can vote which means we’re in an even better position again so the song’s getting a lot of recognition. Also we’re in a healthy place where the UK can vote so providing that takes off, then we could actually get into the grand final for the first time in a long time. And hopefully it kick-starts us doing that in the future,” she said.
She said she’s confident that sending an entrant with a song that’s “completely different” may prove to be the key to Ireland getting through to the finals again, having failed to do so since 2013, when Ryan O’Shaughnessy made it to the final.
“The only pressure that I'm feeling is the pressure I’m putting myself under,” she said.
“I think what’s different about this year is we’ve sent something completely different. We’ve always sent a ballad and maybe that just isn’t the right formula that we need after all.
“Maybe we need to send something completely different and new and fresh that catches people’s attention. I think this year, people are taking this quite seriously and (feel) threatened in a way that we might actually qualify, there is a good buzz, people are excited this year.
“It’s a really good atmosphere.”
But she admitted the rehearsals have been “full on”.
“The rehearsals have been quite full on, a different level of intensity than what I’m used to.
“It’s just a really fun song… I’m excited that people will see a fun side of Ireland and get behind us hopefully.
“People are definitely taking a massive liking to this song, I think it’s because of the tongue-in-cheek nature. If it comes on in a nightclub, you’re going to want to dance and scream it.”
Speaking about her costume for the performance, she said: “I designed it, which is a really cool thing.
“It’s centred around superheroes so it’s a mix of The Powerpuff Girls and Wonder Woman because you have to be the hero of your own story.
“It’s about focusing and striving for independence and women power,” she added.
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